Written questions by Wilkinson.

Will her department make an updated assessment of the annual cost to the UK economy of serious and organised crime.

The Home Office has an updated assessment of the cost of Serious and Organised Crime. Officials are currently reviewing the findings and considering the appropriate next steps, including options and timing for publication.In the interim, the department continues to draw on a range of evidence, including previous official estimates, which underline the significant harm serious and organised crime causes to the UK economy.The most recent published assessment of the social and economic costs of organised crime to the UK is the estimate presented in the previous Government’s SOC strategy 2023-2028 Serious and organised crime strategy 2023 to 2028 - GOV.UK, which places the cost at approximately £47 billion in 2023/24 prices. This figure is derived from the last underlying assessment conducted for FY 2015 to 2016, which estimated costs at around £37 billion based on Home Office ‘Understanding Organised Crime Estimating the scale and the social and economic costs’, and was subsequently inflated using the November 2023 HMT GDP Deflator. We continue to keep this area under active review, including how best to reflect improvements in evidence and methodology across threat areas.Since the most recent publication, the Home Office has been actively developing and refining cost methodologies across key threats, including contact child sexual abuse (The economic and social cost of contact child sexual abuse), modern slavery (Economic and social costs of modern slavery - GOV.UK), drugs (Dame Carol Black's Independent Drugs Review) and fraud, (Economic and social cost of fraud 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK). These updated methodologies have strengthened the evidence base and improved the accuracy of our cost estimates for individual threats.

What assessment has his department made of the role of flexible office spaces in facilitating the activities and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Department for Business and Trade recognises that flexible office spaces can support small and medium sized enterprises by reducing fixed costs, enabling collaboration and allowing businesses to scale as they grow.While the Department has not made a specific assessment of flexible office spaces, it considers access to a range of workspace options an important part of a strong business environment for SMEs.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds information on the proportion of cases to the building safety regulator that (i) currently and (ii) historically require an extension before being assessed.

Building Safety Regulator officials have provided the below data:66.4% of Live Gateway 2 applications have an extension in place (867 of 1,305)41.7% of closed Gateway 2 applications had an extension (1,374 of 3,286)48.7% of all Gateway 2 applications have/had an extension (2,238 of 4,591)

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Housing Regulator in meeting its KPIs on i) Driving improvement, ii) Maintaining confidence, iii) Working with others and iv) building the organisation.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. My Department has not itself assessed the adequacy of the RSH’s performance in meeting its KPIs. The RSH publishes its performance framework and reports annually on key performance indicators through its Corporate Plan and Annual Report and Accounts. My Department monitors the RSH’s performance through regular Accounting Officer meetings.

Communities and Local Government, whether the building safety regulator is (a) fully staffed and (b) working at full capacity.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on 27 January 2026 officially moved to become an arm’s length body of MHCLG. BSR increased their regulatory capacity throughout 2025 and now have a headcount across all functions approaching 500, an increase of over 40% since June 2025. BSR will continue to recruit throughout 2026 and has plans in place to drive greater efficiencies whilst ensuring resources are matched to the demand for its regulatory services.

What steps her department plans to take to support small and medium-sized enterprises who no longer qualify for business rates relief due to the VOAs reclassification of flexible office spaces as single properties.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England impartially and independently of central Government, and must consider developments in relevant caselaw.As a result of case law developments, the VOA have concluded that, rather than each room within a serviced office being assessed separately, most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property, unless clear evidence demonstrates a need to have separate assessments. Each serviced office is looked at on a case-by-case basis, and the VOA are addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices. At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VOA will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.A single rating assessment would mean occupying businesses will face no business rates bill at all. Instead, the serviced office provider will be liable for business rates on the entire assessment. It is for serviced office providers to decide if they will pass the cost on to their tenants, depending on contractual agreements.

What assessment her department has made of the potential impact of the Valuation Office Agency's reclassification of flexible office spaces as single properties on (a) the level of business rates and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England impartially and independently of central Government, and must consider developments in relevant caselaw.As a result of case law developments, the VOA have concluded that, rather than each room within a serviced office being assessed separately, most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property, unless clear evidence demonstrates a need to have separate assessments. Each serviced office is looked at on a case-by-case basis, and the VOA are addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices. At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VOA will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.A single rating assessment would mean occupying businesses will face no business rates bill at all. Instead, the serviced office provider will be liable for business rates on the entire assessment. It is for serviced office providers to decide if they will pass the cost on to their tenants, depending on contractual agreements.

What progress her Department has made in implementing the Injury on Duty Award Scheme.

I have met with those leading the campaign for a new award and I am working on proposals. Ultimately, any official award is a gift from the Government on behalf of His Majesty The King.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of bans on e-scooters and e-bikes riding in pedestrian areas.

The police have a suite of powers under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Police Reform Act 2002 to seize e-scooters and e‑bikes being used illegally or antisocially, including ‑for offences such as riding on the pavement and in pedestrian areas.We are strengthening enforcement through the Crime and Policing Bill, by removing the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing vehicles used antisocially. We have also consulted on measures to allow police to dispose of seized vehicles, including e-scooters and e-bikes, more quickly, helping to tackle dangerous and anti-social behaviour impacting communities.Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for Chief Officers, who decide how to deploy resources in line with local policing priorities.

What data his Department holds on the (i) number and (ii) adequacy of provision of paediatric post-mortem specialists in (a) Gloucestershire, (b) the South West and (c) England.

The Department does not hold information on the number of paediatric post mortem specialists either across England or in the South West or Gloucestershire regions.NHS England does publish monthly information on the number of staff employed in the National Health Service in England, including information on the grade and specialty of NHS doctors. This includes information on the number of doctors working in the specialty of pathology as well as the sub-specialty of paediatric and perinatal pathology. This is not though the same as those able to provide paediatric post mortems. The relevant information can be found in the file ‘NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations – data tables’ in each monthly publication, at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statisticsNHS England established a national programme in late 2022 to address paediatric and perinatal pathologist workforce challenges and has undertaken significant work in relation to workforce funding, training, and incentives. This has included making additional funding available to support training posts in areas where there have been interested candidates but no training post available and changes to the national training course and examination structure. The number of training posts has increased across several recruitment rounds and the perinatal and paediatric training pathway will be at a full complement of 16 training posts from February 2026.

Innovation and Technology, what progress the Medical Research Council has made on delivering ME/CFS research improvements.

The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has prioritised research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years, investing over £4.65 million since 2020, and welcomes high quality applications in this area.MRC is working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to deliver on agreed actions from the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes funding strategic initiatives to increase research capacity and hosting engagement events to bring together research funders, commercial and academic researchers and patient representatives. For example, in November DHSC, NIHR and UKRI, co-hosted a research showcase to discuss and explore the ongoing research in the fields of ME/CFS and long COVID. MRC continues to liaise with the ME/CFS research community to support future applicants.

What recent assessment has been made on the relationship between ADHD and Substance Use Disorders.

Studies have shown that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of alcohol use disorder. One study found that impulsive decision making was causal, and that ADHD was present in up to 20% of people seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder. The recently published Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment set out several steps that treatment providers should take to assist those with ADHD to access alcohol treatment and tailor treatment interventions, including discussing and making reasonable adjustments based on each person's individual needs, offering flexibility, providing information in the most appropriate way, and collaborative personalised care plans.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England established an ADHD Taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025. The work of the independent ADHD Taskforce highlighted the need for coordinated action across health, education, and public services to reform ADHD services and support.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism.The independent review will build directly on the evidence and recommendations of the ADHD Taskforce. The taskforce’s report provides a strong, evidence‑based foundation, and the review will consider its findings in full to ensure conclusions are aligned and complementary. In the meantime, we are working with NHS England to deliver some of the taskforce’s recommendations such as on data improvement, enhancing Mental Health Support Teams in Schools, improved commissioning, and better collaboration between mental health and primary care services.

Communities and Local Government, whether local government reorganisation processes in Gloucestershire will enable new unitary authority elections to take place in 2027.

The government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July 2025, with elections to new councils in May 2027 with a go live date of April 2028.

Communities and Local Government, what is his proposed timetable for Gloucestershire to join a mayoral combined authority.

On 12 February, the government wrote to all local authorities – including in Gloucestershire and its neighbours – that do not currently have a devolution agreement inviting them to come forward with to agree a non-mayoral, Foundation Strategic Authority across a sensible geography. It is for councils to propose new devolution arrangements where local consensus has been reached with their neighbours, and we will consider any proposals brought forward, subject to it meeting the criteria set out in the English Devolution White Paper and the forthcoming English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy for Gloucestershire to be placed in a mayoral combined authority devolution deal with Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

On 12 February, the government wrote to all local authorities – including in Gloucestershire and its neighbours – that do not currently have a devolution agreement inviting them to come forward with to agree a non-mayoral, Foundation Strategic Authority across a sensible geography. It is for councils to propose new devolution arrangements where local consensus has been reached with their neighbours, and we will consider any proposals brought forward, subject to it meeting the criteria set out in the English Devolution White Paper and the forthcoming English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Whether it is his policy that integrated care board boundaries should match mayoral combined authority boundaries.

It remains the Government’s ambition for integrated care boards (ICBs) to be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasible, a commitment made in the English devolution white paper and reaffirmed in our 10-Year Health Plan.This summer as local government reform progresses, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.

What plans his Department has made to address the health needs of those classified with severe ME/CFS while exploring the specialised very severe ME/CFS service.

The decision will be announced in due course. At this stage, officials from the Department and NHS England have been working carefully through the steps needed to make a decision on the prescription of a specialised service for very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for a decision on the prescribing of specialised services, which requires consultation with NHS England.The Department is also developing a template service specification for mild and moderate ME/CFS, which also contains references to severe ME/CFS. Further work will need to be undertaken to strengthen support for people with severe ME/CFS, reflecting that people may move between moderate and severe. Future iterations of this document will build on these ongoing considerations and emerging insights.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. The final module of this e-learning programme is focussed on improving understanding of severe ME/CFS in particular. All three sessions of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

When his Department's proposed timeline is for announcing its decision on the prescription of a specialised service for Very Severe ME/CFS.

The decision will be announced in due course. At this stage, officials from the Department and NHS England have been working carefully through the steps needed to make a decision on the prescription of a specialised service for very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for a decision on the prescribing of specialised services, which requires consultation with NHS England.The Department is also developing a template service specification for mild and moderate ME/CFS, which also contains references to severe ME/CFS. Further work will need to be undertaken to strengthen support for people with severe ME/CFS, reflecting that people may move between moderate and severe. Future iterations of this document will build on these ongoing considerations and emerging insights.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals, with the aim of supporting staff to be able to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. The final module of this e-learning programme is focussed on improving understanding of severe ME/CFS in particular. All three sessions of the e-learning programme are now available at the following link:https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/mecfselearning?nodeId=7288

Whether her Department plans to promote the new road safety strategy to the public.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Government’s THINK! road safety campaign delivers paid advertising to change attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk on the road, currently focused on the priority issues of speed, drink driving and drug driving. THINK! campaigns will play a key role in encouraging safer road user behaviours to support delivery of the strategy. This will include paid campaign activity to raise awareness of any potential significant changes to road safety legislation, with the introduction of these potential changes also supported by wider communications including via DfT social channels and GOV.UK, media engagement and partner and stakeholder networks. As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the Government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the Government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

What consideration her department has given to the potential benefits of changing Pupil Premium rules so that funding goes directly towards supporting the eligible child’s care.

The purpose of pupil premium funding is to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England.Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils. It is for schools to decide how to allocate the funding, after assessing the needs of their disadvantaged cohort, including previously looked after children.To ensure that pupil premium is focused on effective approaches to raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils, schools must use their pupil premium in line with the evidence-informed 'menu of approaches'. Under the ‘wider strategies’ category this can include supporting pupil’s social and emotional needs.Previously looked after children and young people under adoption orders, special guardianship orders and child arrangements orders are eligible for funding for therapy through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.